ISLAMABAD: The capital police have requested the formation of a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the incident in which an official of its Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) was sexually assaulted on Sept 29.

A senior police officer told Dawn that a request had been made by the senior superintendent of police (SSP) to the chief commissioner Islamabad to constitute the JIT. A case was registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) against the culprit. A JIT investigates a case registered under ATA according to the law, the officer said.

The chief commissioner is the authority to constitute the team in response to a request made by the SSP. The team is likely to be constituted by Monday, said the officer.

The investigation of the case is also being carried out by two teams each headed by SP Rural Liaquat Niazi and SP Investigation Gulfam Nasir. The teams have so far interrogated 500 suspects.

Moreover, 43 survey teams have also been constituted to collect clues and trace the accused. The teams are working in the area where the policewoman was raped and searching the accused with the help of identification marks provided by the victim. The teams are also working on a number of technical grounds.

After performing duty in the second shift, she was going home on public transport and her father was to pick her from a bus stop on Islamabad Expressway. When her father did not show up, she began walking home and was attacked by someone from behind and overpowered, said the police.

The suspect took her to a wooded area, where she was sexually assaulted.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2018